A clothing care label has been mentioned a lot on this blog. It is a tag in our apparels and textile items that contains symbols and/or written instructions on how to properly care for the item. In each country different standards are followed on writing care label instructions. Here in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission issued in 1971 the "Care Labeling Rule".

Here are parts of information taken from the Care Labeling Of Textile Wearing Apparel And Certain Piece Goods, as amended on September 1, 2000 (16 CFR Part 423 ).

According to Section 423.3, "This regulation requires manufacturers and importers of textile wearing apparel and certain piece goods, in or affecting commerce, as "commerce'' is defined in the Federal Trade Commission Act, to provide regular care instructions at the time such products are sold to purchasers through the use of care labels or other methods described in this rule."

Section 423.4 indicates the coverage or persons and organizations regarded on the mentioned ruling.

"Manufacturers and importers of textile wearing apparel and certain piece goods are covered by this regulation. This includes any person or organization that directs or controls the manufacture or importation of covered products."

Terminologies (As defined in the amended Care Labeling Rule)

"Textile Wearing Apparel means any finished garment or article of clothing made from a textile product that is customarily used to cover or protect any part of the body, including hosiery, excluding footwear, gloves, hats or other articles used exclusively to cover or protect the head or hands."

"Certain Piece Goods means textile products sold by the piece from bolts or rolls for the purpose of making home sewn textile wearing apparel. This includes remnants, the fiber content of which is known, that are cut by or for a retailer but does not include manufacturers' remnants, up to ten yards long, that are clearly and conspicuously marked pound goods or fabrics of undetermined origin (i.e., fiber content is not known and cannot be easily ascertained) and trim, up to five inches wide."

"Regular Care means customary and routine care, not spot care.”

Simply said, the Care Labeling rule states that manufacturers and importers of apparels and textiles must place a permanent tag on items indicating the regular care instruction or warnings on processes that may possibly harm the textile product or apparel.